Advocates rap Danbury over deposition access

DANBURY — First Amendment advocates are criticizing Danbury officials trying to restrict access to depositions in a federal lawsuit filed against Mayor Mark Boughton by his former executive assistant.

The city asked a federal magistrate to sanction a lawyer for releasing documents.

Wendy DaCosta says her civil rights were violated when she was fired in 2011 after complaints alleging harassment were filed against her by a city department chief with whom she had a relationship, the News-Times reported.

A lawyer working for the city asked a local blogger to halt publishing comments from the depositions. Al Robinson, author of the HatCityBLOG, called it an infringement of his First Amendment rights.

"I believe the city is trying to hide something and the people have a right to know what's in these depositions," he said.

Boughton, a Republican who is considering running for governor next year, called the depositions a "fishing expedition" for future lawsuits.

The depositions include testimony about "unofficial" files kept on Danbury's city employees by department heads and a well-connected employee receiving a disability pension despite alleged evidence he was able to work.

Attorney Elisabeth Maurer, who represents DaCosta, said her client has the right to share the testimony given under oath by current and former government officials.

Mitchell Pearlman, former Freedom of Information Commission director, compared attempts to keep Robinson from publishing comments from the deposition with bullying.

"Unless there is a court seal on the documents, those who have a copy can do whatever they want with them," he said.